What is Compound Flooding? When it comes to flooding in Oceania, the conversation is often dominated by the danger of sea level rise, as this has become one of the defining characteristics of climate change in the region. However, flooding…
Author: Matthew Preisser
Matthew Preisser is a second year dual degree student at the LBJ School and Cockrell School of Engineering (Master's of Public Affairs and Environmental and Water Resources Engineering). He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Biosystems Engineering and minors in German and Sustainability in 2018. His research interests include the application of technology and applied sciences to benefit at-risk communities impacted by climate change and extreme weather events. Matthew is currently a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow where he is researching the incorporation of socioeconomic factors into predictive flood modeling. He is also a Brumley Next Generation Fellow through the Robert Strauss Center.
Heading to higher ground: Uncertainty in elevation data and sea level rise can under predict affected populations
One of the most visible threats to Oceania is sea level rise. Rightly so, as the Pacific Community (SPC) has estimated that the vast majority of people living in Oceania live within 1 kilometer of the coastline. What can seem…
Information imperialism and digital colonialism: Why we need to make sure we are building capacity in Oceanic countries
After attending the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2019 Conference, I began to think a great deal about the role of science and scientific research in addressing global environmental changes. With nearly 30,000 attendees, this is consistently the second largest annual…
Combating Climate Change with Infrastructure Investments: How Traditional Methods May Contribute to Risk
The negative effects of climate change are well documented, especially for small island developing states (SIDS) in Oceania. These threats include sea level rise, coastal erosion, and increased intensity of tropical storms (i.e. more dangerous storm surge, strong winds, and…
Oceania from Space: Why remote sensing is vital for understanding the effects of climate change
Oceania is known for its low-lying island nations, with over 10,000 islands, represented by over 20 countries (including territories/dependencies), spanning an area approximately the size of the United States. Monitoring threats such as sea level rise, tropical storm paths, and…
